


It's a hell of a story

by LightBruja



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Military, On Hiatus, Pre-Canon, Pre-Overwatch, Slow Burn, Soldier Enhancement Program, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-04-21 15:39:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14288100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightBruja/pseuds/LightBruja
Summary: FBI Agent Amelia Robinson has just been requested at a military research facility. After finding out she has a new job, she didn't think her life could get that much more interesting. That is until she meets Gabriel Reyes.





	1. SEP

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! This is the first part of a new series that I have in mind thanks to that new Soldier 24 skin. There's no Reyes in this chapter, but I promise he'll be introduced in the next.

The sound of her heels were a sharp contrast to Amelia Robinson's surroundings. Everyone in the facility looked her way. The black blazer and slacks were out of place in an area used to fatigues or lab coats.

 

"And as you can see, everything here is state of the art and kept optimized." Her guide seemed to be a new doctor, or at least his age would make it seem like he was. She remember being the same way. Energetic, no dark circles under the eyes, and optimistic about the world. She was in her 30s now and not so enthusiastic.

 

"I can see that doctor. How much further until we reach the general's office?" Amelia was getting tired of the run around. This was the fourth time she had scheduled a meeting with the general in charge of the facility, and she was no longer going to take no for an answer.

 

Amelia had her answer before the lieutenant could give it to her. A large door stood before her with the nameplate of General Richards next to it. With a nod of appreciation to her guide, she entered the office without knocking.

 

An older gentleman sat at a large desk near the back of the room. Someone else was in a chair across from him and they seemed to be in discussion before Amelia had walked in. The two both stood up, and she could clearly see the unknown man was a doctor thanks to the lab coat.

 

"General Richards, I'm Agent Amelia Robinson. Thank you for taking the time to see me." She gave the man a strong handshake, something her father had always taught her to do. The general had a look of experience and war in his face. No physical scarring, but she was sure there were tons of mental ones.

 

"Agent, this is Doctor Stewart. He's in charge of this program." Amelia shook the man's hand, which had a much weaker handshake than the general. "Please to meet you." The man simply nodded back.

 

The agent took the vacant seat across from the general as everyone sat down. There was a beat of silence before she spoke.

 

"General, I do appreciate you spending the time to see me. The bureau told me you would explain the situation more thoroughly when I arrived. This facility is above my pay grade, but I heard I was requested specifically by you for...as my chief said...consultation?" Amelia raised her eyebrow. She was a communications specialist, and she had taken psychology courses at the academy and in college, but she was by no means a profiler.

 

The seasoned officer leaned back in his chair, it groaned in response. "Agent...this isn't a normal job. I looked at you not only based on your work in the academy, but also your work in the Air Force. You aren't some bureaucrat who worked their way to a government job after a few years. You'll understand what exactly it is we're working on, and why it's so sensitive." His voice had a deep timber to it, one that demanded attention.

 

She looked back and forth from the general to the doctor. All she knew about the facility was that it was a base of operations for advanced military research. "I apologize sir, but because of my security clearance...I'm not quite sure what this place is."

 

General Richards nodded to Doctor Stewart. The doctor then produced a small button from his lab coat, pressing down. Soon, the walls around them began to lift up, revealing windows and more light. Shielding her eyes, in addition to the sound of metal lifting, she could hear sounds that brought her back to her days of basic training.

 

The woman walked closer to the window, and through them she could see a training ground surrounded by a high wall. The grounds was practically a carbon copy of the one she trained on when she first enlisted.

 

There was a single squadron of soldiers - some women, but mostly men. They looked like elite soldiers if their physicality meant anything. But it wasn't just their appearance...it was the energy that they gave off. They oozed with strength and concentration.

 

She couldn't help but look at each soldier, dressed in standard issued fatigues and boots, minus the jacket. From behind her, the doctor stood up and walked over to her. "Welcome to the Soldier Enhancement Program, agent. It's time to go above your security clearance."


	2. 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reyes is introduced here. While our protagonist is admiring Reyes, please note that she hasn't developed romantic/sexual feelings yet. Thanks! Also, Reyes is referred to as "Soldier 24" at this point in time.

It had been a week since Amelia had been immersed in the facility that was the Soldier Enhancement Program. She wasn't brought on to be a participant, but more like a human resources or counselor of sorts. Unlike other agents at her level, she had the military background to understand the "soldier" perspective. And getting a veteran who had a civilian job was out of the question because of how high the security clearance was. 

 

Amelia was impressed with the fact that she had her own office. She didn't even get that at the office in Florida where she worked previously despite a relatively senior status. She had her belongings shipped to the facility, and she lived in the officer side of the dorms. She didn't mind it much, her apartment back home relatively bare itself. She was all work and a minuscule amount of play. 

 

She hadn't had any soldiers come in to ask her questions yet, so most of her day was spent reading up on current psychological trends and information regarding each soldier in the program. Nothing really stood out as abnormal, and there hadn't been much incident. But that may be because the program had just started. 

 

She took a glance at her watch. It was about time for lunch. Standing up from her desk she began to log off her computer before she heard a knock at her door. 

 

"Of course.." she muttered. She wasn't exactly upset that someone came to see her. Just that it was right before she settled on getting lunch. "Come in, the door's unlocked." 

 

The door opened and she came face to face with someone she recognized from their file photo. He was from Los Angeles, part of the Army. The embodiment of a soldier ready to do what it takes. She smiled up at the man invitingly, wanting to give a good impression for her first session. "Ah, Soldier 24 right?" 

Soldier 24. All names of the candidates in the SEP were classified and above her pay grade despite her line of work. Made it easier to treat them equally or some other weird, red-taped excuse. She read in his file that the man was imposing and often took charge thanks to experience. But she never would have thought he would give off such a strong presence in the flesh.

There was nothing extraordinarily different about him. She had seen the same uniform on countless other soldiers. And she had seen ruggedly handsome features before. But it was the aura he gave off that was almost suffocating her with its strength. 

"You're the new girl, right?" He stood at ease before her in perfect form. Amelia was caught off guard by his voice. It was masculinity incarnate with a perfect combination of smooth and rugged. 

She almost forgot that he referred to her as "new girl" as she was taking him in. "Agent. I'm the new agent here. My name is Amelia Robinson. I don't have the sign on the door yet." She walked over to him and held out her hand. 

She couldn't tell from her desk, but he dwarfed her. She wasn't a small woman in terms of size. Her frame was athletic, always being "thick" since puberty hit her. That coupled with years of take-out from long missions and not as much exercise gave her a pear-shape that she came to accept. But she lacked height, being an average 5'4. 

However, Soldier 24 was nothing but pure power. Everything about him proved years of training and hard work. And he was almost a foot taller than her. He grabbed her hand in a professional shake. He gave her a small chuckle and . 

"Military?" he asked. She nodded and walked back to her seat, directing her to sit in the chair across from him. "Four years in the Air Force. It was the only way I could pay for school." She chuckled softly. "So, what can I help you with?" 

He declined the offer, shaking his head. "No need. This will be fast. I'm just here to give you this, and answer any question you may have." The man reached into his back pocket, pulling out a small tablet. Taking it from him and unlocking it, she read the message that was on the screen. 

"Training" "Testing" "Schedule" These words jumped out at her above all else. It seemed similar to-

"Basic training? I don't understand. I'm not in the SEP." Amelia looked up from her screen at the soldier before her. The man shrugged. 

"No idea. All I know is that I'm the one training you and we're supposed to start at 20:00 tonight." Amelia gasped at the time, quickly scrolling through the information to see the tablet. He was right. 20:00 five days a week. Just great. 

"Well, I have an idea why I'm being assigned PT." She stood up and glanced at the window. She could see soldier training on the grounds and she realized that she would have to go down there with them starting tonight. That's not intimidating or anything. "I'm sure it's so I can understand, in a sense, what you guys are going through." Amelia walked back to her desk, leaning against the edge. 

"So, what can you warm me about now?"


	3. And so it begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training begins for Amelia and Soldier 24.

"This is how I die." Amelia was sure that her soul was going to leave her body at any moment. The ground beneath her was felt cool and was a relief to the sweaty skin that was exposed. 

 

"Come on Agent, we don't have all night." The commanding tone of 24 reminded her where she actually was. She realized that the timing of her training was deliberate. No one else was on the field except for the two of them. In that sense, she was thankful that no one else in the SEP knew how out of shape she was. But at the same time...

 

"It looks like I'll be able to tell all of the unsubs that there's a lazy agent in the FBI who can't chase them." His taunts came out like rapid fire during this first session. She felt humiliated and out of place because of it. Memories of high school bullies flooded her system. she gritted her teeth, and despite the objection of her body, she sat up from her place on the ground. 

 

She looked up at her "trainer" and wanted to wipe the smug smirk off his face. His hair was somehow still in place despite him doing the same exercises as her. And let's just say her hair, even though it was pulled back in a ponytail, probably looked as bad as she did at this moment. She could feel the heat in her face from exertion and she knew that standard-issued PT shirt was more than likely darkened with her sweat. 

 

"Since starting my gig with the bureau they had me focus more on combat and firearms. I rarely have to run a mile or do push ups to prove my place." She scowled at the man. She knew she shouldn't, but his attitude toward her - who was technically below her in rank - really started to piss her off. 

24 raised an eyebrow at her. "Combat huh? Well..why didn't you say so?" He held out his hand, offering to help Amelia up to her feet. It was a nice gesture, and she felt a pang of guilt for scowling at him. Taking his hand, she gripped onto it to begin lifting herself up. 

 

Or...that's how it should have happened. Before she realized what was happening, he had used his strength lift her up, follow by pinning her arm behind her back. She let out a pained gasp of shock. His body was close to hers, keeping his grip tight. "Didn't they tell you not to trust anyone when you go through combat training?" His voice was dripping with suavity. 

 

And she hated it. Biting her lip she took a deep breath. "You're right." 

 

And with that, she knew her actions would speak louder than words. In addition to her combat training, she had taken years of Judo as a way to make up for her size if in a situation with a perp. And that training in Judo was about to pay off. Despite the size difference between her and 24, she lifted her hips, pressing against his stomach. His grip loosened in surprise and she took advantage of that. Freeing her arm, she reversed the power dynamic. Gripping his arm and lifting him using the power of her hips, legs, and back once again, she lifted and threw the SEP participant over her shoulders and onto the ground. 

 

The man looked shocked. And she felt smug. Looking down at him she decided to taunt him a bit. "Didn't they tell you not to trust anyone when you joined SEP?" He looked up at her, his face slowly changing into a wide grin of enthusiasm. His laugh erupted and she felt like the whole facility could hear him. She blushed despite herself, and hoped it came off as just her being flushed from the workout. 

 

"You surprise me, agent. Seems like I underestimated you." He then got up in a way that demonstrated his power and strength. It reminded her of a leopard. He dusted himself off and faced her. "You may not be able to run a mile efficiently, but I'm sure you can take advantage of someone during a dangerous situation." He held out his hand to her once again. 

 

Amelia looked up at him skeptically. That caused 24 to chuckle and raise his other hand in truce. She sighed, but smiled despite herself. She shook his hand. And unlike their first meeting, this one was more of a friendly shake. She had a feeling this wasn't going to be the last time she would have to prove the soldier wrong. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Amelia was more sore than she had been in a long time. She groaned extra loud as her alarm rang, alerting her that it was 05:00 and it was time to get ready. Her legs felt thickened and like rubber all at once, and she wasn't sure if she would actually fit in her pants. She sighed and opted for a simple black dress and blazer with some flats. It was Friday after all, she could dress a little differently for once. 

 

Her walk to her office seemed longer than it had the past few days. Every step she took sent a new shock through her nervous system and she wondered how she had gotten so out of shape. Before she had entered her office, she noticed a bag on the ground. It was a simple brown bag with "Agent" written across it with black permanent marker. She knew explosive materials weren't on sight, so she wasn't afraid to open the bag up. 

 

Reaching in, she removed a lone banana and a note. Written on it was a simple message. "Bananas help prevent leg cramps. - 24" Amelia groaned and placed the banana back into the bag. "That would have been nice to know yesterday." She sighed, placing the bag on the desk. She stared at it for a moment, before realizing she had another workout tonight with the soldier. Taking the banana out the bag she peeled it, and took her first bite. She grimaced and held back a gag.

 

"I don't even like bananas."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bananas do help, y'all.


	4. Late

Amelia had been training with 24 for the past two weeks, and results were already showing. She had more energy, and her body was becoming more toned. She had been arriving to the training field each scheduled day as part of her routine. And today wasn't any different. The weather was a bit chillier than normal, so instead of just the standard issue shirt and shorts, she wore a matching sweatshirt and sweat pant set. 

 

She took a glance at her watch. It was already 20:05. 24 was never late, so she found this a bit odd. Despite easily butting heads with each other during workouts, it was fun having a buddy. And it was nice to try to aspire to get to his level (even though she knew it was impossible.) She began to stretch, warming up without the soldier. She was halfway through the warm up when she saw a figure approaching the field. She smirked and called out to him. "Didn't know they taught tardiness in the Army!" she jogged over to the figure. However, she soon realized this wasn't who she taught it was.

 

If you could think of an antithesis to 24, that would be 76. She recognized his face from his file, and now that she saw him in person, her initial judgement seemed correct. The young soldier looked as though he was the perfect poster child for the military in addition to having a face any parent would love. 76 would be the boyfriend you bring home to mom and dad, while 24 would be the secret boyfriend you hid. 

 

The light skinned, blonde and blue eyed soldier approached her almost hesitantly. "Agent Robinson, I assume?" She nodded, and noticed that the man wore a t shirt and sweatpants. She wondered if part of being a SEP participant meant you could handle different weather more easily. "Soldier 76. I recognize you from your file. How can I help you? I'm officially off the clock but my training partner isn't here at the moment." 

 

76 rubbed his neck in what can only be described as an embarrassed manner. Such a difference from 24. "Well, that's the thing. I'm your new partner for training." 

 

She looked at the man incredulously. "Why wasn't I told about this change? And why is this change happening?" 

"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to say, m'am. Though, I hope I can keep up your regimen as well as 24." He chuckled nervously. "I mean, he gave me the schedule so I should be able to follow it." So realized this wasn't something sudden or else 76 wouldn't have received the schedule from 24. 

 

"I understand. It's no worry. Working out is working out, no matter the partner. Let me properly introduce myself." She held out her hand and smiled. As he shook hers, she realized despite what she said, things would be different.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Training with 76 didn't have anywhere near as close to an impact that training with 24 had. Her body didn't feel tired or sore at all. And while she would like to think that's because of her body getting used to the work, she knew that wasn't the case. She woke up before her alarm, not amused that she missed out on the three extra minutes of sleep. She soon got ready and began the walk to her office. 

 

She wasn't expecting to see the brown bag in front of her office like she had seen every other day. After all, 24 was no longer her partner. But there it was, with the same distinct "Agent" written across the bag. But instead of black market, it was written in red. She didn't think much of it. She reached in, and grabbed the banana, beginning to eat the awfully textured fruit. Despite her disdain for the food, her eating them did help prevent cramps. So it was either working, or was a really great placebo. So great that she didn't want to risk missing out on eating one. 

 

She crumpled the bag, throwing it in the trash. However, something caught her attention on the bottom of it. The bag had a stamp on it that she hadn't seen before. Looking at the words permanently marked onto the brown, she realized this was specifically sent to a department within the facility. 

 

"Medical"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the next couple of chapters! They're going to be shorter than usual. I just think it progresses the flow better, but that's probably my script writing background kicking in.


	5. Gabriel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amelia finally learns Soldier 24's name.

She was unexpectedly busy on really the only day she wanted to leave early. Soldiers and doctors alike came to visit her, expressing their concerns and asking for advice. It was mostly rudimentary things like someone taking a pair of their socks or someone being more harsh on them than anyone else. She listened, gave her advice, and welcomed the next person. 

As soon as 17:00 hit, she was out the door. She was an agent on a mission and she needed to figure out what was going on. She was glad she didn't have training with 76 tonight. Her attention was elsewhere. 

She made her way from the office wing she was used to and entered the medical building on site. She had only been there once on a tour and would probably have to explain why she was there later. But her curiosity was getting the better of her. There woman at the nurse's station she approached was nice enough, directing her to a specific wing of the building. Apparently they separated SEP participants from the rest of the facility whenever one of them was injured or sick.

"Injured or sick." The words stuck to her harshly. Of course he was injured or sick. He was in the medical building! But why could she feel the hair raise at the back of her neck? Why was she feeling anxious? As she walked down the hallway, she could hear groans of soldiers and cries of pain. She slowed her pace, taking in all she heard. Though none of the cries sounded like they would come from 24. 

Apparently each participant had their own room, so 24 was in in room 24. That was simple enough. As she approached, she could see that the light was on and there was someone else in the room. She heard a hearty chuckle and instantly recognized it as the missing soldier. 

"Come on Gabe, it's not funny. You didn't tell me she took Judo."   
"Sorry Jack, I thought it would be funnier if I didn't tell you. And it turns out, it was." 

She bit her lip. She wasn't supposed to hear their names. That was classified information. But now that she knew...it fit them. She stood still for a few moments, not wanting to alarm them that she knew their names. After taking a deep breath she approached the door, knocking on the wood. 

"It's open." was the reply from Gabe...24. His name is 24. She opened the door, taking the sight in. 24 was laying on the bed. Wires were tucked into a hospital gown that helped register things like his heartbeat and oxygen intake. He didn't look much different, if only a little bit more pale and dark circles under his eyes. 76 was sitting across from him in a guest chair. 

"Did you not think I would notice the change in partner? I didn't know you guys could lay down on the job." She smirked at him playfully, but deep down she felt a pang of hurt. She was concerned. Why was he here? There didn't seem to be any external injuries. 

"Yeah, well, Jack here is the only person other than myself that I would trust to handle someone as out of shape as you." Jack looked at the man in shock. Amelia feigned surprise. "I-I'm not supposed to know your names! That's classified informa-"

"Oh save it. I heard your footsteps in the hall. You were never in covert ops were you?" Gabe had his traditional smug look on his face. Jack just sighed in the corner and Amelia was standing still in disbelief. "I mean...no." She sighed in defeat. "I'm assuming everyone in SEP knows each others names?" She looked to Jack for a response.

"It's supposed to be classified. But when you have experimental drugs pumping into your system, you like to try and relate to the other people around you." She smiled sadly at him in understanding. That made sense, and she was sure it wouldn't matter in the long-run. It would probably only matter if they knew she had found out their names. She looked around the room for a seat, and Jack noticed, rising from his seat and offering it to her. 

"Oh no, that's all right. I've been sitting all day. You train so you deserve it." Jack only smiled and moved to lean on the wall. "No offense, agent. But I wouldn't be able to head back home if my mother knew I let a woman stand without offering my seat." That's right. Jack was from Indiana. She smiled a gave a soft "Thanks" before sitting down in the recently vacant seat. She directed her gaze toward Gabe. "So, Gabriel...what happened?" She didn't feel comfortable calling him "Gabe". It seemed like it was too friendly for their relationship. 

Gabriel gave a soft chuckle. "That's classified, agent. Or should I start calling you Amelia instead?" She shrugged. A habit she picked up from the man in the bed. "Whichever you prefer. And as for that classified nonsense..so is your name. But I can already see it on your hospital band that your last name is Reyes. So don't give me that classified crap because I already know your classified name." She crossed her arms. She wasn't sure why she was being so defensive about this. Or even why she was willing to break protocol. She was usually extremely straight-laced and by the books. 

The men looked at her with equal parts surprise, interest, and enjoyment. Gabriel was the first to respond. "It's pretty simple. I didn't response too well to the last experiment that they gave me. That's all it is. They're keeping me in observation for a few more days and then I'll be back to kicking your ass in combat drills." Amelia rolled her eyes. She didn't want to admit it, but he did kick her ass in combat drills. "Yeah, well it's not my fault I don't have classified super soldier juice running through my veins." She pouted, and Jack laughed, Gabriel smirking. 

She spent a little over an hour there before Jack left to finish up some training. She felt herself becoming tired in the hospital room, something that always happened to her. Standing up and stretching, she took a look at Gabriel. He was sleeping peacefully, a soft snore the only noise besides the rhythmic beeping of the heart rate monitor. She smiled, and started to leave the room. 

What Amelia didn't realize, was that Gabriel Reyes was not asleep. He was staring after the agent as she left the room. He wondered just what he had gotten himself into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can finally stop writing 24! It feels nice. Again I apologize for the short chapter, I'm trying to get better I promise!


	6. Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amelia has become busier at work thanks to a reputation of her being able to train with one of the best. Participants in SEP feel more comfortable coming to her for advice. Tonight is another sparring session with Gabriel. But what happens when rain gets in the way?

It was a little over a week later and things had almost returned to normal. 

 

Gabriel was back as Amelia's training partner. She was back to feeling sore the next day and looking forward to the next workout. What did change was her work schedule. Instead of having multiple hours to herself, rumors had spread of the agent who was training with one of the best participants in SEP and relatively keeping up. That opened the door to other soldiers coming in, trusting her, and asking for advice. 

 

It wasn't easy work. She heard about injuries, fights, and even deaths. She knew the SEP was tough, but it seemed like torture to some of the soldiers who described it. The multiple experiments, the intense workouts meant to break normal bodies, and the unknown drugs that they pumped into their system. Amelia couldn't help but feel sympathy. 

 

She found herself staying away from her office during lunch and actually spending time in the dining hall. People acknowledged her presence, made small talk, and went to sit with their groups. She typically took the corner table, not wanting to disturb any social structure that may be in place. 

 

Her tray, which was a selection from the non-SEP menu, had a selection of a small salad, chicken tenders, and fries. You can't get rid of all of your vices after all. And it's not like she wasn't working hard enough to enjoy the greater things in life like fried food. She made her way to her now routine seat right next to the window. Most of the time there wasn't anything substantial to watch. But today was an exception. Heavy rain and other stormy conditions seemed to appear out of nowhere. Soldiers and doctors alike rushed to get into shelter. Amelia shook her head. She couldn't help but wonder if that meant she wouldn't be able to spar with Gabriel tonight during training. 

 

That was always her favorite part of her regimen with the SEP soldier. They only did it every other week, but it was incredible to see her improvement in such a short amount of time. He still beat her every time of course, but he also had a bit of an unfair advantage. 

 

As she ate, the man in question walked into the dining hall. Think of the devil and he shall appear she guessed. There was no better expression than that to describe her relationship with the man. Not like there was one, of course. That's against protocol even if she had thought about it. 

 

Getting a better look at him, she felt as though the people around her quieted. She was used to seeing the man in the standard issued fatigues and shirt or even seeing him in a hospital gown. But the way he looked right now? That was new. 

 

The man was practically soaked. He must have been one of the ones caught in the rain. And instead of the typical camouflaged fatigues, he wore standard-issued shorts along with his normal shirt. Now, the shirt in question was usually tight. But because of the rain, it now left nothing to the imagination. A body that Michelangelo himself could have sculpted was exposed. And were his thighs always so thick? That would explain the lower body strength during sparring. And the fade that she was used to being perfectly coiffed was now slicked back thanks to the rain.

 

Amelia caught herself staring. She quickly looked down at her food and fidgeted with her salad using her fork. She could feel the heat raise to her cheeks. Her mind chose this moment to recall every sparring match and how on more than one occasion she was pinned under him in his victory. 

 

"Think of innocent things...puppies. Puppies are cute and cuddly. They love to play with you and have the best smelling breath and know just how to cheer you up..." Amelia was mumbling to herself to distract herself from thoughts of Gabriel creeping into her mind. Her chant of how cute puppies were was interrupted by someone clearing their throat. She jumped, startled out of her trance. 

 

"Woah, easy agent. It's not like you to be jumpy." Gabriel looked down at the woman. He was amused, per usual, but there seemed to be a bit of concern shown in his face too. Amelia made eye contact with him, trying to appear as casual as possible. She hoped the redness in her face had gone down. 

 

"S-sorry! I was just lost in thought about something." She wasn't lying. 

 

"Oh really? Mind if I sit here with you and you can tell me all about it?" He moved the chair out of the way with his foot. She just now realized he had his lunch tray in his hands. A specially combined meal of nutrients and vitamins just for those in SEP. It looked like chicken and some kind of fruit casserole. And of course, a banana. 

"Uh...sure. Have a seat. I can't tell you about my thoughts though. Confidentiality and all that." She smiled at him nervously. The way he looked at her proved that he knew something was up, but he just shrugged it off and started eating. "So, about tonight.."

 

Amelia choked on her water. Her coughs seemed annoyingly loud in the dining hall and she wondered just how big of an idiot she looked at this moment. She finally managed to gasp out a response "Tonight? What about tonight?" 

Gabriel feigned hurt. Placing a hand on his chest and turning his head to the side. "I'm shocked. You already forgot that tonight was our next sparring match. I thought you enjoyed those..." 

 

"Maybe I enjoy them too much..." she mumbled, responding with a quick "Nothing!" when he asked is she said anything. "I just assumed it was cancelled tonight. The storm is pretty rough out there. I mean...not like you wouldn't know." She nodded toward him, causing him to look down at his attire. 

"Yeah, well...we have the ring to ourselves tonight. No other spars are going on since SEP just got hit hard with some trial runs.." His voice trailed. She had other participants telling her how bad it was hitting the ranks. Most soldiers being sent to the medical center for at least a few days. 

 

"So I've heard." Was her response. Thinking about what she had been told, she assumed Gabriel was one of the first to go through the trials. That was probably why he was in medical to begin with. "Anyway, you aren't getting rid of me that easily. I'll meet you at The Ring tonight at our usual time?" He stood up, his tray already cleared of food. 

 

"You bet!" She knew her response was a little on the enthusiastic side, and when Gabriel left the room she groaned and laid her head on the table in front of her. At least the man would be dry before their spar began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thick thighs save lives guys. Chapters should be longer after this. I hope. Thank you for the reads and kudos left behind so far. I truly appreciate it! It makes me glad to actually be publishing writing online for once instead of giving up halfway through a story.


	7. Ippon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for another training session. How will things go with this spar?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long delay! Work got a little crazy and so did my personal life. 
> 
> I GOT A PUPPY.

It was 19:00 and Amelia was pacing in her dorm. She had already changed into her clothes for training, opting for black yoga pants and a tank top back from her days at the academy. The facility was more humid than usual thanks to the storm, and it wasn't helping to improve her current situation. 

 

She had tried multiple things when she got off work, including taking a cold shower, to try to rid her mind of the sight that was Gabriel Reyes when he walked into the dining hall that afternoon. Psychologically she knew this was natural. She hadn't...been intimate in over a year. And Gabriel was a specimen of a man. One that she was in close contact with. So of course, it was only a matter of time until her body would react. It was just a response she couldn't control. She was sure if Jack had walked in the same way, she would have the same type of response. 

 

She thought about that for a moment further. Who was she kidding? Jack wasn't her type. Maybe in high school and college he would have been someone she had her sights on on, but not now. Gabriel on the other hand...

 

She shook her head. Thinking like that was a slippery slope to more distracting thoughts. What could she do that could occupy her time and mind until her training session for tonight? She thought about times where she was only focused on one thing. And that was when she worked out with Gabriel. Maybe a little pre-workout on her own could get her mind off of things? Tugging on a pair of socks and sneakers, she made her way to the facility's in-house gym. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She felt out of her element on the treadmill. Despite all of the training she has had these past few weeks, she still wasn't a strong runner. She was at the point where she felt like she just wasn't built for it. Legs that were meant for a leg press and to help with lifting. Definitely not running. 

 

It only took her ten minutes on the treadmill to realize she was going to wear herself out before training. She needed to cool-down and stretch her legs. Using the mirrored wall as her guide, she started a set of stationary lunges. She could feel the muscles tightening and releasing as pushed herself down, and lifted herself back up with her leg. Looking at herself in the mirror, she was glad to see that while she had become more toned, she hadn't lost her curve. She had accepted her curves after many years of self-esteem issues and all that work of acceptance would have been for naught if she had lost them. 

 

Standing up, she quickly bent her leg back at the knee, giving her legs some quick stretches before looking for her water bottle. With a quiet exclamation of "Shit", she realized that she left her bottle back at her dorm. Glancing down at the clock on the wall, she knew she didn't have time to retrieve it before training. It was just something she would have to do without. 

 

Amelia made her way to "The Ring" which was quite literally a standard wrestling ring. The almost Olympic-looking setup was already occupied by Gabriel, performing stretches. He looked up at her, gave her a nod of acknowledgment, and continued. Before taking a place on the mat, Amelia took off her shoes and socks, placing them at the perimeter. The vinyl felt cold and new. They either clean it well or it wasn't used that often. 

 

She felt adequately stretched from before, so the woman sat down on the mat, legs crossed over each other. She tried not to watch her partner stretch, but caught herself making quick glances toward the man. Strong and graceful. She wasn't sure how he achieved it but she knew she was going to get caught if she kept glancing over. To stop herself, she laid flat on her back and closed her eyes. 

 

"No stretching? That's not smart." She sat up at his remark. He appeared to be finishing up. She noticed that he changed from his attire from earlier, switching to the regulation sweatpants and a regular t shirt. 

 

Amelia stood up, smiling up at him. "Already did a pre-workout before I got here. No worries." She did a quick stretch of her arms. "So, what's the style for today?"

 

"I was thinking about staying in your element. Today's spar style is Judo." She couldn't stop the smile that formed on her face. Since that first night of training, she hadn't been able to showcase her skills in the Japanese style of martial arts. 

 

"You're on." Amelia smiled before moving toward the center of the ring. She assumed her starting position, waiting for Gabriel to assume his. They bowed to each other to pay respect, and as if a starting gun went off, they both instigated the spar at the same time. 

 

Amelia immediately tried to go for a choke, using the difference in size to her advantage to get behind the man. Wrapping her arms across his shoulders and gripping her palms together, she pushed up into his throat. He grasped at her hands to try to brake her hold, but she held on tightly. She wouldn't hold back with him. 

 

However, Gabriel wasn't going to go down so easily. Using his back, he lifted the agent back and over him with a single push. Caught off balance, Amelia couldn't recover fast enough before he had pushed himself on top of her in a simple gatame. She struggled beneath him, trying to find a position to flip the man. She moved her legs to wrap around his hips, and using pure momentum, she pushed to one side before moving to the other, pinning him below her. 

 

She placed all of her body weight on the man, followed by a kansetsu-waza to keep his limbs locked in place. She could feel him struggle beneath her, trying to flip her off of him. But she had a near perfect grip on his limbs. 

 

Amelia knew she only had to hold him for a few seconds, and she knew she was approaching the time when her leg felt as if she had an internal rug burn. 

 

With a cry out in pain, she rolled off of Gabriel. She knew folding up her leg would prolong the pain in the long run, but right now it was alleviating the pressure from the cramp. She thought back to the missing water bottle and took out her frustration in a series of swears.

 

"Jesus H. Christ! Shit! Fuck! God Dammit!" She bit down on her lip, trying to control herself. Gabriel, not needing any explanation to her pain, made a quick roll over to her before kneeling next to her. 

 

"Come on, agent. You know you have to stretch your leg out for a cramp." The woman tried, but cried out when she attempted it. God. He must think she was such a baby. 

 

She looked up at him, and he had a serious, and concerned look on his face. "Don't hate me for this." She didn't even have time to ask him "For what?" before she felt it.

 

Gabriel moved his hands to her leg, moving it down gently so it was stretched out properly. She hissed in pain and gripped the mat as the pain intensified. When she stopped fidgeting, he then began to massage slow circles into the muscle.

 

She couldn't believe this was happening, and she kept her view on the wall away from Gabriel. She had to keep herself in check. Soon, the pain began to weaken and disappear altogether. 

 

She looked up at Gabriel, his hand still on her leg. Despite it being a gentle hold, she could feel the power radiating off of him. Her mind created images of him gripping onto her in the heat of passion, and she felt herself redden at the thought. 

 

"I think its ok now." She muttered. He let go of her leg, standing up over her. He held out his hand, which she graciously took and stood up. Her leg was a little rubbery, but it was relaxed. More so than before the workout. 

 

"Maybe next time you'll stretch out properly before a spar?" She could only groan in response.


	8. Annabel Lee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are going well for Amelia and Gabriel. Their friendship and blooming and they're finding more and more things in common.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one week? Something must be going right with me for once.

The Soldier Enhancement Program had turned south quickly.

During the next round of treatments and experiments, participants were starting to show more and more negative reactions. This round had created more fatalities than any other. 30% fatality.

Every day Amelia would worry about seeing a new name added to the list of deaths. She recognized all of them, and felt remorse for all of them.

But there was one in particular that would hit her harder than any other.

Since the eventful cramp incident, Gabriel and her had become closer than ever. She started taking her lunch with him, and Jack would join with them. The Bloomington native usually only stayed for a few minutes before leaving, leaving Gabriel and Amelia to converse together.

With longer interactions with each other, they soon discovered similar interests. The current interest that they shared was a particularly interesting one.

 "How am I just now figuring out that you're a fan of Poe?"Amelia asked him incredulously. She had written countless essays for school based on the American author's works.

Gabriel laughed heartily, something he had been doing more often as of late. "It never came up, agent. How was I supposed to know?"

Despite initial judgment calls, the SEP soldier was easy to talk to and interact with. She found herself spending more and more time outside of training sessions with him.

Lunches, evenings before training sessions, and even after they had both hit the showers. That's when the rec center was free for them to use. Mostly they just talked or read before heading to their rooms for the night. Tonight was a night for reading.

The two of them sat near each other in the corner of the room. There was an L-shaped sofa and Gabriel sat at one end and she sat at the other. Their lunchtime discussion had her in a spooky mood. That's why she had pulled up the complete works of Edgar Allan Poe on her tablet. Gabriel glanced over at her and chuckled.

"I can see our previous conversation influenced your choice in reading tonight." She rolled her eyes playfully, looking at what was on his tablet.

"And yours apparently." She couldn't read what story or poem he was on, but she felt something inside of her thump at the realization they were reading the same thing.

"Well, since we're reading the same thing..." Gabriel stood up, moving away from his spot on the couch. He then took the spot next to Amelia, settling in next to the agent.

Amelia was a bit shocked to say the least. They had sat next to each other before, but not on something like a couch. She wondered why a couch made things seem more intimate.

She moved her tablet to the side, leaning in slightly to read off of Gabriel's. He was reading "Annabel Lee", a personal favorite of hers. He quickly went to the next page, and she playfully hit his chest. "Not all of us has SEP processing you know." They both shared a laugh.

"Well then, I have a better idea." Gabriel cleared his throat, sitting up straighter. "It was many and many a year ago..." Amelia couldn't help the expression on her face. She was amazed by the fluidity and emotion behind his narration. She was entranced, as if she had never hear the poem before. The way he spoke made it actually seem like a new work of art.

She closed her eyes, listening to the inflection of Gabriel's voice. She swore she could almost feel his voice in this moment. As he reached the last lines, she almost wanted to curse Poe for not adding an additional stanza.

_**"And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side** _  
_**Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,** _  
_**In the sepulchre there by the sea,** _  
_**In her tomb by the sounding sea."** _

She clapped appreciatively. "That was wonderful! I didn't know you could recite like that!" The soldier has an uncharacteristically pink hue on his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, well, that's what drama classes in high school did to me."

After spending time talking about the "good old days" in high school, Amelia glanced up the clock. "I've kept you up so late! I'm so sorry. We should really get going." She didn't wait for him. She stood up, stretching her limbs.

"Amelia, wait." She paused. He never called her Amelia. It was always "Agent". She turned to face the man, and to her surprise, he looked...healthier. That was the best way she could put it. He radiated against the white-painted bricks behind him. He stood up, and she could swear she heard something pop back into place.

Gabriel stood before her, towering of her as he always did. But instead of being intimidated, this time she felt almost protected. He looked down at her, their eyes locking for seconds before he began to speak.

"Thank you. I can't really be myself around too many people here. Pretty much just you and Jack. But Jack wouldn't know how to appreciate our taste in literature to save his life." They both shared a chuckle. "But that's beside the point."

He sighed. It wasn't one made because he was annoyed or because he was tired. It almost sounded as if it was sad...or conflicted. "Just...thank you. I'm glad they hired a Fed." He smirked after he ended his sentence, to which she rolled her eyes but smiled regardless.

"Way to ruin a moment." She looked up at him. His hair was still somewhat damp from his shower earlier. "But thank you. It means a lot to hear you say that." And that was the truth.

For some reason, she cared more about how Gabriel viewed her than any other soldier. Hell, more than any of her superiors! She just wanted to know that Gabriel viewed her in a positive light.

They both smiled at each other and locked eyes. There felt as though there was a rope of tension between them. It was strong, coiled tightly around her chest. It seemed if she leaned in maybe it would just...

"Good. Now let's get back to our dorms before we get shot at for being so tired tomorrow." She was snapped out of the daze she didn't even know she was in. "R-Right. Go idea. Though my office tends to have less guns than your practice range."

They then left the room together, stopping outside of its doors. They were going to be heading in opposite directions after this point. The young woman smiled and waved good night, heading back to her dorm. She openly yawned - hopefully far enough away for the SEP soldier to notice. But of course, he did. With a shake of his head, he turned and went toward the direction of his own bed.

The next morning, Amelia was on cloud nine. Her conversation with Gabriel the previous night couldn't have gone better. She felt as though she radiated happiness.

When she reached her desk, she had already taken a bite out of her daily banana. And that's when she opened her email. There wasn't a list of fatalities this morning. But there was another list present.

It wasn't a list of deaths, but a list of those who were in critical condition.

Near the bottom of the list was a name that stood out among the rest. She quickly discarded the banana, and raced to the medical center.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just who is on that list?! Find out in the next chapter!


	9. Coffee

When she arrived inside the SEP wing of the medical center, it didn't take long to find where Jack Morrison was staying.

 

The SEP soldier was in a large room, surrounded by observation windows so staff can keep track of his condition at all times. There, staring at the man through the window was Gabriel Reyes. He was looking at him intently, as if Jack was going to wake up at any moment.

 

Amelia sighed and stood next to him, not interrupting him with words. The man needed silence. The closest chairs were in the waiting room across the hall, and that was too far for them. They both wanted to be close to their friend in case anything happened.

 

Gabriel stifled a yawn, which was Amelia's cue to head to the vending machine. She was sure he would be there when she got back. As she inserted some coins into the machine and selected a hot beverage blend, she was deep in thought. She thought about all of the names that ended up on the fatality list after this past round. And she couldn't help but think about Jack being at risk.

 

The beep from the machine startled her out of her thoughts. Taking the small Styrofoam cup, she headed back to Gabriel. Wordlessly, she handed the man the cup. Their fingers brushed slightly together during the transfer. He held the top of his cup with his finger tips, arms still crossed. It didn't seem like he hadn't move any more than grabbing the cup since she left.

 

Gabriel sighed, bringing the cup close to his lips. "Did you make it the way I like, agent?" His voice was hoarse, not gruff. The same kind of hoarseness that would occur after screaming on a roller coaster.

 

"You mean black?" She responded. She had seen the man grab coffee sometimes. He never picked up any sugar or cream to go along with it.

"Exactly." was his response. He drank a few sips before making a noise of disgust. "Weak-ass shit." He muttered. Gabriel looked to Amelia. "You want some?"

 

"Oh, uh...I don't really like coffee? It's too bitter for my taste." She laughed embarrassingly. Why did that make her insecure? It never has in the past. "Hm. I guess you're into girly drinks like tea?" He gave a small smirk and glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"There's nothing wrong with tea..." was her response. She watched as he downed the rest of the coffee like a shot. He said it wasn't strong but it still must have been hot. Either he didn't care or he actually couldn't feel it.

 

A doctor walked into Jack's room. Jack was still asleep. She didn't have to ask to know what was going on. They probably put him in a medically induced coma to make sure he had time to rest and heal. The man pressed a button near the door, instantly darkening the windows. He must be examining Jack.

 

"Tch." Gabriel walked away, tossing the cup in the nearest trash can. Amelia looked at Gabriel, then back at Jack's room before following the former.

"Hey, shouldn't we wait to see-"

"Why bother?"

 

Amelia stopped in the middle of the hall. "What do you mean why bother?" She was thoroughly confused. Gabriel had been nonchalant and even rough around the edges with people before, but never about Jack.

 

The man sighed, turning to face her. There was a couple of feet in between them. "Exactly how it sounds. Why bother staying, agent?" She couldn't help but notice the look on his face. It was anger. It was sadness. It was something that twisted his features and made him look older than his age.

 

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because he's our friend? Even if they're examining him we can stay in the waiting room. We can rotate shifts, and I can sleep on a couch if I have to." She didn't realize it, but Amelia was crying. Her voice didn't falter, but tears fell down her cheeks. "Jack needs us. I know he does."

 

Gabriel looked at the woman. He was honestly shocked to see her cry in front of him. She was always so strong, and seemed tough to crack despite the occasional moments of embarrassment. But here she was, concerned about Jack in a way no one had been concerned about outside of SEP participants.

 

He sighed, closing the gap and embracing her. His hand held her head against his chest. "I know. I know." Amelia was openly sobbing at this point. Her hands gripped the back of Gabriel's shirt as she tried to control her breathing. "I can't lose you two. I just can't!"

 

Gabriel rubbed her back, saying encouraging words like "You won't lose us." and "Everything will be ok." Her personal favorite was "If I can get through SEP you know Jack can" because it was the perfect example of their relationship. A true brotherhood among soldiers who could drive each other nuts but still respected each other.

 

She wasn't sure how long she was held by Gabriel, but it was longer than she had been hugged in a long time. Being wrapped in the man's arms made her feel protected and wanted, something she hadn't felt in a long time. She moved away from him, wiping her eyes with the end of her sleeve. "I'm sorry about that. You must think terribly of me for losing my cool like that. It's just...hitting a little close to home right now."

 

Gabriel shook his head. "Quite the opposite really. You continue to surprise me, agent." He began walking away to the waiting room of the wing. "Come on, let's find the good seats. We'll be here a while."

 

The drumming in her ears was loud as she watched him walk away. As she followed him, her heart was beating fast. But she didn't quite think it was because of her earlier crying episode. There were plenty of signs that were all there. Signs that she had just chosen to ignore for the most part.

 

There was blushing. The less than innocent thoughts when she saw him. Instinctual and biological need could only explain so much. And it was to the point where Amelia had to realize.

 

She had fallen for Gabriel Reyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, we're finally getting to the burn of this slow burn. I hope you guys enjoyed it!


End file.
